Encaustic Tiles - Blue

A reinvention of the traditional coloured ceramic floor tile. Made from unglazed, vitrified clay, the colours and patterns are formed from the clay body itself, meaning they never fade. Encaustic tiles were originally popularised by the Victorians, who valued their durability and vibrance, using them to pave the floors of many of that era’s grandest buildings. Blocks of clay are marbled together by hand before being flattened in a 60 tonne hydraulic press, meaning every tile is different. They are suitable for interior and exterior use on floors and walls. The development of the process grew out of research into historic encaustic tile clay recipes and the invention of a modern equivalent, which is slip resistant and vitrifies at a low temperature, meaning less energy is used in its production. Different colours are created by adding minerals such as iron and cobalt to the base recipe. Blocks of each colour are marbled together by hand before being sliced and pressed into tile shape.